AVENUE OF THE HANGING JACK-O-LANTERNS 2021
Thank you to everyone who came out and helped carve the jack-o-lanterns. We had 40 pumpkins this year, and I was really worried about whether we’d have enough carvers. However, 47 people turned out, including about 16 parents or group leaders and about four carvers who also helped to wire them. The carvers included some Girl Scouts this year, and a boy scout or two, plus five members of a Sunday School class at First Baptist Church. So they all got carved as needed, and the numbers balanced nicely (I didn’t have to find more carvers at the last minute or find more pumpkins). Our hanging team also did a great job. And we also had about 40 sponsors. Many, many thanks to all who participated. The total number of participants at about 100 was about the same as in the last few years. Unfortunately, one blew down before we had them all hung, and then seven more came down Wednesday night, maybe from vehicles hitting them, and then a couple more came down in this morning’s heavy rain.
CONGRATULATIONS TO TOBIAS AND JOANNA
The Provan family now has one more little boy in its ranks. I used to tell Tobias’s dad that we were going to rename the town “Provanville” some day. Tobias chairs the board of the Monongahela Main Street Program, and he seems to doing all he can to support shortening the town’s name. Tobias operates Zimmer Printing with his mother. Joanna was the original owner/operator Little City Coffee, now operated by her sister Angelica Scales and business partner Nathan Redfield. Joanna has also made a big impact here teaching many local people to play the violin, which she teaches at From The Top Music Shop.
ONE REOPENS, AND UNFORTUNATELY ANOTHER ONE CLOSES, AND ANOTHER STARTS UP TOMORROW
Bella Bug Bootique is now open at their new store location at 416 West Main Street (in the Essee Flats Building between Little City Coffee on the one side and Lynda’s salon and Zimmer Printing on the other side).
Meanwhile, Mon City Supply, a landscape supply yard that opened about a year ago at the foot of 11th Street, where Patterson Supply used to be, has announced that it will be closing.
And Dead Head Winery will be holding its first event this weekend at the corner of Second Street and Chess Street, in the building that was once the Bebout and Yohe Funeral Home.
JACK-O-LANTERN SPONSORS
More sponsors have come forward since last week, and as usual they are a mix of businesses, individuals, families, and institutions. We thank Richard and Rosemary Bucchianeri, Noel’s Primitives, The Dudzik family, the Ginger Hill Grange (via Lynn Glova), Community Eyecare, the Monongahela Area Library, the Dodd Squad (/Dodd family), First Baptist Church (via Marcia Barna), Carmella Paige, Nancy Staffen, and Marlene Wall, Dr. Randy Rodriguez, Madonna Catholic Regional School (c/o Dr. Rodriguez). Sweets by Mrs. C., Zimmer Printing, CFS Bank, Natalie Biagini, Dollar General, Frye Funeral Home, Max Chywski, Monongahela Woman’s Club, plus a few others whose names I don’t have yet.
STAY PUFF, STAY
The monster with the inflatable tenacles and the inflatable Staypuff Marshmallow Man have been in place for about two weeks now. Have you brought all your friends here to see it in person? They should see it at least twice, once during the day and once at night when it is lit.
SWEETS BY MRS. C, ICE CREAM & MORE – IS EXPANDING
Sweets by Mrs. C has announced that they are expanding by adding a party room at the back of the shop. They will begin working soon on the space to be called the Elves’ Break Room, or Party Room, a place for birthday parties, card club get-togethers, meetings, in any case provided with ice cream as desired and maybe some catered luncheons.
THE CHILL OF WINDS COMING IN FROM THE NORTH POLE, AND ALL THE WARMTH OF THIS SEASON TO YOU!
I don’t want to get my holiday seasons out of order, but… there are signs that Christmas is on its way. Santa’s Secret Shoppe (AKA, A Real Live Santa Claus) has been open, with limited hours in preparation for the season. And I understand that the Boy Scouts will be painting Santa’s House on Saturday, October 23rd so it can be relocated to his Monongahela Address when the season begins in a month or so.
TRICK-OR-TREAT
Click here to view a schedule of Trick-or-Treating times, a screen capture that I took from something someone else had posted.
OCCUPY Main Street
It’s a Nice time to… – OCCUPY MAIN STREET – …one the last chances you get this year, despite all the talk about global warming (I’m not yet ready to predict what kind of a winter it will be, here in the center of the universe, but I will say that you should be able to sit in your shadow and dine outside one of our grand downtown buildings if you like). Today and tomorrow seem like perfect weather for the sidewalk dining experience. The Monongahela Main Street Program purchased bistro table and chairs sets, this time last year, to encourage sidewalk dining.
It’s nice out. Come downtown, get something to eat, and set your dupa down in one of our sidewalk dining areas. Enjoy an ice cream cone, or a dinner special, or some baked goods. I think this week is approximately the first anniversary of having these tables and chairs downtown, so let’s get ready to celebrate in style!!
NOEL, NOEL
Have you stopped by Noel’s Primitives to check out the new antiques and home décor crafts items she seems to add to the stores collection every couple of days?
FLOWERS, FLOWERS EVERYWHERE
Our downtown flower plantings seem to get more beautiful each week. Now that it’s October, they appear to be at their peak. And have you seen the recently added little scarecrows? You’re running out time now to enjoy them. Watch for other things in the planters after the frost comes.
THEY’RE STILL TRYING COPY US
They are beginning to plan America 250, especially in the Philadelphia. The Declaration of Independence will be 250 years old in five years, just like we were two years ago.
VACANCIES
We have only a couple of rentable storefront vacancies in town at this point. Who can think of a business that might do well at 316 West Main Street, the location formerly occupied by Sen. Bartolotta’s Office (the old Polaski’s newsstand location, next to CP DC Chiropractic)? Dr. N. Trotta owns this building. Apart from one or two spaces like this, we have very few commercial vacancies in or downtown area that are rental-ready (there are also a couple of other buildings that need a lot of work before renting, and one or two others, also needing work, that are for sale but not available for rent at the present moment).
FOR MORE DETAIL: CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE CALENDAR
The Monongahela Main Street Program now has a Google Calendar posted on our organizational web page, https://monongahelamsp.org/calendar_list_style/ , listing downtown-related events. It’s a project that several members of the Main Street Board have been addressing for quite some time. Screen captures of the listings over the next two months are in the attached photos. Feel free to send us a note about whatever events you may be planning that relate well to bringing people downtown. When the organization was publishing a one-page wall calendar each month, across a period of about three years, up to 2018, the events listed added up to over 900 scheduled activities worthy of being included each year.
RESTAURANT LIST
Don’t forget to spread your dine-in or takeout business around during this “unprecedented time” in American and worldwide history. Here’s some contact information for some of the restaurants that are open at this time:
Italian Village Pizza, 169 West Main Street
(724) 292-8170
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Angelo’s II, 111 Third Street
(724) 292-8375
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Di’s Home Town Deli, 218 West Main Street
(724) 292-1001
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Sweets by Mrs. C., Ice Cream and More, 260 West Main Street
(724) 292-8392
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Little City Coffee, 418 West Main Street
(724) 258-6285
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Two and a Fry, 1115 West Main Street
(724) 310-3182
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Hog Fathers Olde-Fashioned Barbecue, 243 East Main Street (Catsburg)
(724) 310-3757
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Lenzi’s Italian Restaurant, 228 Gee Street (just off East Main going east from the Pigeon Creek Bridge, before the first light)
(724) 258-9885
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Detorre’s Pizza, 915 West Main Street
(724) 258-3306
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Eat’N Park, 1250 West Main Street
(724) 258-4654
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Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 201 West Main Street
(724) 258-8358
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Hills Restaurant, 107 Main Street, New Eagle
(724) 258-5422
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Pizza Station, 187 Chess Street, New Eagle
(724) 310-3191
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Cox Market, deli counter for take-out, 711 Rt.481
(724) 258-4900
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Ponce’s Place, 715 Rt.481 (Park Avenue Extension/Pigeon Creek Road)
(724) 258-6654
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Pho Valley, 1160 Country Club Road
(724) 310-3948
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Fox’s Pizza Den, 1235 West Main Street
(724) 310-2080
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Here’s my latest list of stores in Monongahela that have been selling clothing, especially those that have been marketing various kinds of clothing fashions:
1. Uncommonly Beautiful
2. Sparkles by Shell
3. Mon Valley Safety Equipment
4. Bella Bug Bootique (an online shop for now, hoping to reopen in a building later)
5. LuLaRoe by Amber Smittle
6. Just 4 You Gifts and Cards
7. Main Street Gypsy
8. Di’s Home Town Deli
9. The Bubblery Pittsburgh (children’s consignment in the back room)
10. Alpha Outfitters Equine Supply
11. Octane Martial Arts (martial Arts clothing)
12. City Mission
13. Dollar General
14. Family Dollar
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Here’s a list of the 31 stores that have opened or are in the process of opening in the Monongahela – New Eagle Main Street area in the last 32 months (there are actually a couple more, including two that opened and closed in that period; the last three that I’m counting are in the process of major investments with scheduled opening dates in the next ninety days):
1. The Bubblery Pittsburgh – soap shop with handmade soap, hand sanitizer, lip balm, etc., since Sept. 2018, 212 West Main, (724) 258-2598
2. Cedarwood Insurance Options – Anthony Bottino III, insurance broker (upstairs from Bottino Financial/Allstate Insurance), since Nov 2018, 442 West Main, (724) 310-3695
3. LuLaRoe by Amber Smittle – casual clothing, open by appointment, since Nov 2018, West Main Street at Fourth Street, (724) 678-3913
4. Main Street Gypsy – gifts, jewelry, clothing, and furnishings, since May 2019, 219 West Main, (724) 292-8366
5. Sweets by Mrs. C, Ice Cream and More – also has baked goods and nostalgic candies, since Aug 2019, 260 West Main, (724) 292-8392
6. Alpha Outfitters Equestrian Supply – Western-wear and horseback riding items for the rodeo crowd, since Sept 2019, 168 West Main, (724) 366-0642
7. Julie’s Hair Haven – haircare by appointment, since Oct 2019, 202½ Fourth Street, (412) 952-5177
8. Octane Martial Arts – martial arts studio, sports/athletic training, and pro-shop selling related clothing, since Oct 2019,
9. The Potter’s House – event facility, since Oct 2019, 234 West Main, (724) 219-3290
10. Bella Bug Bootique – casual clothing and costume jewelry, since Nov 2019, 1001 West Main. (The storefront location has closed for now, but the business is still very active online.)
11. Di’s Home Town Deli – deli meats, chicken salad, egg salad, lunch specials, etc., since Dec 2019, 218 West Main, (724) 292-1001
12. Busta Suds Laundromat – laundromat (behind Two-and-a-Fry Hotdog place), since Dec 2019, c/o Two-and-a-Fry Hotdogs, 1115 West Main, (724) 310-3182
13. The Compound Steel City – youth center for training in sports like wrestling, weight lifting, cheerleading, etc., since Jan 2020, 121 Railroad Street, (724) 426-6768
14. Sambol’s Bakery – baked goods, cookies, lunch specials, since May 2020, 230 West Main, (724) 250-0100
15. Candelore’s Barking Beauties – dog grooming salon, since July 2020, 111 West Main, (724) 292-8360
16. CPC Chiropractic – Dr. Christa Peifer, Chiropractor, since October 2020, 314 West Main, (412) 953-3103
17. Santa’s Secret Shoppe – Christmas decorations, other holiday season items, and plenty of small gifts, since October 2020 (open seasonally), 211 Second Street, (724) 554-3514
18. Chloe and Me Candles – handcrafted candles and similar items, since November 2020, 205 West Main
19. Mon City Supply – landscape construction materials and installation, since December 2020, (724) 810-6037, 1101 Railroad Street (behind Two-and-a-Fry)
20. The Dog Emporium/Sit-Up Doggie Treats – gift shop for dogs, locally baked treats and dog biscuits baked by the shop owner at his other facility, since Feb 2020, 310 West Main Street (“downtown”), as of 26 January 2021 (previously was 118 Main Street, New Eagle), (724) 258-7297
21. Dusty’s Discounts – household items and gadgets, Kitchen-Aid mixers, umbrella’s, etc., since March 2021, 406 West Main Street (next to Tattoo Savior), contact Dusty Bradshaw Aldous via Facebook / Messenger
22. Noel’s Primitives and Gifts – Antiques, primitives, and décor items, 202 West Main Street, (724) 825-9525
23. Anarchy Ink – tattoos, since April 2021, 202 West Main Street Suite B, (724) 610-8460.
24. MICRO Mushroom Market, since April 2021, 1235 West Main Street (the warehouse behind Fox’s Pizza and LaVie Nails), (412) 667-2874.
25. Fox’s Pizza Den, since May 2021, 1235 West Main Street. (724) 310-2080
26. City Mission Thrift Store – since July 2021, 211 West Main Street. (724) 292-8377
27. Dubtown Vapes – since July 2021, 1235 West Main Street.
EAST MAIN STREET
28. Hog Fathers Olde Fashioned Barbecue – restaurant and bar, since 20 Jan 2020, 243 East Main Street (Catsburg), (724) 310-3757
29. DW Auto (formerly Sal’s Quality Auto Care) – auto detailing and repairs, since May 2020, 130 East Main Street, (724) 310-2038 – Reopened recently under a new name and with more emphasis on mechanical repairs.
MAIN STREET/CHESS STREET, NEW EAGLE
30. Industrial Farmhouse Living – home décor, repurposed found objects, since Jan 2019, 144 Main Street, New Eagle, (724) 565-4447
31. Full Circle Glass & Door Service – glass installer, since Aug 2019, 102 Main Street, New Eagle, (724) 998-7437
32. JMS Photography, in business since 2017, began moving into this location around December 2020, owner Jenna (Quattrone) Sluk, 139 Chess Street, New Eagle, (724) 263-1323
UPCOMING
33. Deadhead Wine Bar
34. A couple of other possible surprises still brewing.
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MMSP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The current Board of Directors of the Monongahela Main Street Program is as follows:
Tobias Provan, President
Janet Roslund, Vice President
Walter Seal, Treasurer
Dan Tregembo, Secretary
Jimmy Braum
Scott Frederick
Chris Grilli
Ken Kulak
Amy Leavor
Dorothea Pemberton
Paula Pro
Non-Voting: Terry Necciai, Exec.Dir.
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WE HAVE A WONDERFUL CITY!
Terry A. Necciai, RA, Exec.Dir., MMSP
monongahelamsp.org 